8 Tips for Great Tailgating

Football season is back, and it couldn’t be too soon! Our camper got a few upgrades this year and we can’t wait to show them off. There’s nothing like the show before the show known as tailgating, where we share food, fun, and get psyched up for the game ahead. Speaking of sharing, here are some ideas for making your tailgating experience the best ever (even if your team loses).

Prepare everything you can the night before. All of the preparation that you do before the event will make your tailgating that much better. Failing to plan is planning to fail! It’s no fun having to interrupt your party because you forgot ice.

Use a six-pack holder for condimentsWho knew that a six pack holder could be so useful? You can fit bottles of ketchup, mustard, tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, and more into those things. They store flat when you’re not using them, and keep your condiments contained.

Make a checklist of your essentials. One of the best ways to stay prepared is to have a laminated checklist of what you need for your parties. Going through your stocks the day before and checking off what you have can show you what is missing for your big party.

Get a commercial under-counter refrigeratorYou know the saying, ‘go big or go home’? We believe in taking it to the limit. We just didn’t have enough space to pack the beer, the soda, the meat, and everything else into the fridge built into the camper, so we added a second under-counter fridge. Much easier than stocking extra coolers with ice!Label Your Coolers Appropriately

Even with extra fridges, a few coolers will be needed so you don’t have the whole world in your camper. Labeling coolers will help people find beer and soda easier, especially if your partiers like to get a little buzzed before the game. Decorate them in team colors, but make sure that you know what’s in them with some clear labels.

Get there as early as you can. To get the best barbeque, you’ve got to give it some time. When the people show up to taste your eats, you don’t want them to go away disappointed. It’s a party, and you’ll make a lot of friends if you play your cards right. Show up early and you can be ready as soon as the first guests arrive. Plus, you can avoid a lot of traffic.

Find out What the Rules Are Different places have different rules for tailgating. You don’t want your plans to go to waste because you were kicked out for bad behavior. You might also find out cool stuff about whether you can bring generators and other equipment to the party.

Clean Up When You’re DoneNobody wants to clean up your mess. Make sure that you bring enough trash bags. You don’t want to have the rules changed just because there was a lot of junk left behind.Tailgate parties are awesome, and we hope that you have a ton of them. Now take these tips and go party. May your favorite teams win!

A tailgate party is a social event held on and around the opentailgate of a vehicle. Tailgating, which originated in the United States, often involves consuming alcoholic beverages andgrilling food. Tailgate parties usually occur in the parking lots atstadiums and arenas, before and occasionally after games andconcerts. People attending such a party are said to betailgating. Many people participate even if their vehicles do not have tailgates.

In schools and communities throughout the United States, there are athletic departments, coaches and parents of student athletes who rely on post-game tailgating parties to build community and support for their program and team. Smaller, underfunded programs are assisted by the voluntary participation of parents and friends to feed the team and coaching staff post-competition, which establishes a strong core of support year after year.

Lawn games such as Cornhole, Ladder Golf, Polish horseshoes, Louisville Chugger, and Sholfare very popular during tailgates and tailgate parties. Lawn games are associated with tailgating primarily because of the simplicity in the game materials.[5] Lawn games carry the connotation of drinking games because of their presence during tailgates.[6]

The previously underground subculture is now a part of the mainstream sports media. In 1993,ESPN’s pre-game college football show College GameDay took on a tailgate-party atmosphere by placing the hosts on a portable stage set at the campus of the school hosting the week’s marquee rivalry matchup with fans gathering around it to celebrate. The Fox network‘sNASCAR on Fox and Fox NFL Sunday have also used similar setups. Veteran broadcasterJohn Madden has brought attention (and cameras) into the tailgating lots for years. Madden is the author of a book entitled John Madden’s Ultimate Tailgating, released in 1998.[7]

For twelve years, Joe Cahn has been traveling the country from stadium to stadium, as the self-declared Commissioner of Tailgating.[8] He has tailgated and tasted with fans of both college and NFL teams, and to many is the face and the voice of the tailgater. He calls the tailgating lot “the last American neighborhood” and refers to tailgate parties as “the new American community”.[8]

In 2007, the NFL angered many football fans by banning tailgating before the Super Bowl.[9]The NFL cited security risks, though many suspected it had more to do with corporate sponsored events than any real threat.[10] In 2008, an online petition[11] began circulating to encourage the NFL to lift the no tailgating at the Super Bowl policy. Members of the sports media[12] also questioned the validity of NFL’s claim that security concerns was the real reason for the ban.

In the Simpsons episode “Any Given Sundance” (season 19, episode 18, aired on March 4, 2008), Homer takes his family to a tailgate party. He makes them get up early in order to be at the stadium hours before the football game, and states that “the game is nothing”, the tailgate party being the only reason for their being there.

Season 3 of the Travel Channel original series Man v. Food had a tailgating special which shows various skits from previous episodes that featured food that would make an ultimate tailgate party.

A number of television commercials, especially those aired during football games, feature tailgaiting culture, including those for Bud Light beer and cellphones.